Slide selector matrix keyboard switch assembly with improved contact structure

ABSTRACT

A first board member has a circuit conductor means thereon and a second board member is carried by the first board member and has second conductor means thereon disposed in electrically spaced relation from the circuit conductor means of the first member. A slide conductor is movably carried by one of the board members and has a first conductor portion for engaging the conductor means of the first board member and a second conductor portion for engaging the conductor means of the second board member whereby the slide conductor is adapted to electrically bridge the conductor means of the two board members in selected slide positions of the slide conductor relative to the board members. The slide conductor has means for disengaging one of its conductor portions from its respective conductor means during movement of the slide conductor relative to the board members so that electrical connection between the board members will not take place during a selection operation.

United States Patent Paul M. Rowley [72] Inventor Bexley, Ohio [21] Appl. No. 25,863

[22] Filed Apr. 6, 1970 [45] Patented Jan. 4, 1972 [73] Assignee Robertshaw Controls Company Richmond, Va.

[54] SLIDE SELECTOR MATRIX KEYBOARD SWITCH ASSEMBLY WITH IMPROVED CONTACT STRUCTURE 19 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 200/16 D,

[51] Int. Cl.... H0lh 3/00,

l-lOlh 9/00 [50] Field of Search 200/11, 6

BB, 6 C, 16, 166.1,6BA, 16 R, 16 C, 16 D, 166.1

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,612,557 9/ 1952 Turner 200/ 16 X 2,675,436 4/1954 Frerer .4; 200/11 I 2,796,473 6/ 1957 Davis 200/16 2,903,633 9/1959 Cother ,200/16 X 3,027,506 3/1962 Stenharnmer et a1. 200/16 UX I 3,146,320 8/1964 Wang etal 200/16 X Field et al. 200/16 3,465,] [3 9/ 1969 Cherry et al. 200/16 3,467,922 9/ l 969 Greenwall, Jr. et al 200/16 X 3,495,052 2/1970 Tauscheruai 200/ 16 X 3,502,824 3/1970 Bonacquisti 200/16 Primary Examiner-J. R. Scott Attorneys-Auzville Jackson, Jr., Robert L. Marben and Candor, Candor & Tassone whereby the slide conductor is adapted to electrically bridge the conductor means of the two board members in selected slide positions of the slide conductor relative to the board members. The slide conductor has means for disengaging one of itsconductor portions from its respective conductor means during movement of the slide conductor relative to the board members so that electrical connection between the board members will not'take place during a selection operation.

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SHEET 1 BF 2 I234567 IO VENTO' PA M. ROW Y HIS ATTORNEYS SHEET 2 [1F 2 PATENTEB JAN a m H ENTOR. PAUL M. ROWLEY 6d,, M 7AM.

HIS ATTORNEYS SLIDE SELECTOR MATRIX KEYBOARD SWITCH ASSEMBLY WITH IMPROVED CONTACT STRUCTURE This invention relates to a slide selector switch construction as well as to improved parts for such a switch construction or the like.

It is well known that slide selector switch constructions have been provided in the past wherein a slide member can be moved to various selected positions thereof for bridging certain circuits on one circuit board means with other circuit means on another circuit board means. Such slide selector switch constructions can be utilized in vending machines for setting the prices of the various items to be disposed therefrom.

However, it has been found that such slide selector switch constructions do not provide means for preventing circuit bridging conditions during the sliding movement of the slide conductor of the switch construction whereby the operator must remember to disconnect the machine before making selection changes or the machine will accidentally dispense items.

Accordingly, one of the features of this invention is to provide an improved slide selector switch construction wherein the slide conductor will not cause circuit bridging conditions while the same is being moved between selected positions thereof.

Another feature of this invention is to provide a slide selector switch construction that is simple to manufacture and provides accurate selection of the circuits to be bridged thereby.

In particular, one embodiment of this invention provides a first board member having a plurality of spaced-parallel circuit conductors thereon and a second board member being carried by the first board member and having a plurality of parallel spaced circuit conductors thereon disposed in electrically spaced relation from the circuit conductors of the first board member and disposed substantially transverse relative thereto. A slide conductor is movably carried by one of the board members and has a first conductor portion for engaging a selected conductor of the first board member and a second conductor portion for engaging a corresponding conductor of the second board member whereby the slide conductor is adapted to electrically bridge one of the conductors of the first board member with a conductor of the second board member in selected slide positions of the slide conductor relative to the board members. The slide conductor has means for disengaging one of the conductor portions from its respective conductors of one of the board means during the entire movement of the slide conductor relative'to the board members during a change of the position of the selector conductor of the switch construction. A plurality of slide conductors can be utilized.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved slide selector switch construction having one or w more of the novel features set forth above or hereinafter shown or described.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved slide conductor for such a switch construction or the like.

Other objects, uses and advantages of this invention are apparent from a reading of this description which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front view of the improved slide selector switch construction of this invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, cross-sectional view of the slide selector switch construction of FIG. 1 and is taken substantially on line 2-2 thereof.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the improved slide conductor of this invention being utilized in the selector switch construction of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary and broken away top perspective view of the switch construction of FIG. I.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary top view of the structure of FIG. 5 with the top board means thereof partially broken away.

While the various features of this invention are hereinafter described and illustrated as providing a slide selector switch construction having a plurality of slide conductors, it is to be understood that the various features of this invention can be utilized singly or in any combination thereof to provide a slide selector switch construction having one or more slide conductors as desired.

Therefore, this invention is not to be limited to only the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, because the drawings are merely utilized to illustrate one of the wide variety of uses of this invention.

Referring now to FIG. I, the improved slide selector switch construction of this invention is generally indicated by the reference numeral 10 and comprises a top board means 11 having a plurality of parallel and spaced slots 12 passing therethrough with each slot 12 corresponding to a number in a horizontal row 13 of numbers 1-10, the top board means 11 also having a vertical row 14 of numbers 1-20" thereon representing horizontally disposed, parallel and spaced lines 15 that cross the vertically disposed slots 12.

The top board means 11 of the switch construction 10 is disposed spaced from a bottom board means 16, FIGS. 2, 3, 5 and 6, by a plurality of post means 17 formed from the top board means 11 and secured to the bottom board means 16 in a manner hereinafter described, the bottom board means 16 being formed of electrical insulating material and having on the upper surface 18 thereof a plurality of strips 19 of conductive material disposed in spaced-parallel relation thereon and corresponding to the horizontal lines 15 on the upper surface means 20 of the top board means 11.

The upper board means 11 includes an intermediate spacing board 21 of electrical insulating material and carrying an upper plate 22 on the upper surface 23 thereof and a lower plate 24 of insulating material on the lower surface 25 thereof, the lower plate 24 having a plurality of conductive strips 26 carried on the lower surface 27 thereof in spaced, parallel relation and respectively corresponding to the slots 12 in the upper board means 11 so as to be disposed substantially perpendicular to the strip conductors 19 on the lower board means 16.

The lower plate 27 and conductor strips 26 thereon of the top board means 11 is suitably notched at the slot means 12 passing through the board means 11 as illustrated in FIG. 6 to define a plurality of rectangular notches or recesses 28 therein disposed on each side of a lower conductive strip 19 for locating purposes as will be apparent hereinafter.

An improved slide conductor 29 of this invention is provided for each slot 12 in the upper board means 11 of the switch construction 10 of this invention for respectively electrically bridging its respective upper conductive strip 26 with any one of the lower conductive strips 19 as will be apparent hereinafter depending upon the position of the slide conductor 29 in its slot means 12.

The posts 17 of the intermediate spacing board 21 of the upper board means 11 extend between the boards 11 and 16 to hold the same in spaced relation, the posts 17 securing the lower board means 16 between opposed shoulder means 30 and 31 thereof as illustrated in FIG. 5. Each slide conductor 29 includes a conductive leaf spring 32 having a first portion 33 for being disposed against its respective upper conductive strip 26 and a lower arcuate conductor portion 34 for sliding against the lower board means 16 to engage a selected conductor strip 19 thereof as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3.

The leaf spring 32 of each slide conductor 29 is carried by a manipulator means 35 formed of electrical insulative material and having a body portion 36 interconnected to a grasping or manual engaging portion 37 by an interconnecting portion 38 that projects through the respective slot 12 in the board means 11. The push part 37 of the slide connector 29 can be suitably serrated on the top surface 39 thereof and can have a locating notch 40 cut therein so that when the notch 40 of a particular slide conductor 29 is bisected by one of the horizontal lines 15 on the upper board means 11 as illustrated in FIG. I, the lower conductive portion 34 thereof is engaging against a corresponding conductor strip 19 on the lower board means 16.

In addition, the body member 36 of each slide conductor 29 has an upwardly directed projection 41 which will be fully received in one of the notches 28 of the lower board means 24 of the upper board means 11 in the manner illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 under the force of the leaf spring 32 when the lower conductor portion 34 thereof is engaging against the corresponding lower conductor strip 19 on the lower board means 16.

The leaf spring 32 for each slide conductor 29 is so constructed and arranged that the one end portion 33 thereof has an end 42 hooked into a slot 43 formed in an upper wall 44 of the body portion 36 while an intermediate tab 45 that is carved from the leaf spring 32 clamps against the under side 46 of the upper wall 44 of the body portion 36 as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4, the intermediate portion of the leaf spring 32 also being received in another slot 47 formed through the upper wall 44 of the body portion 36 as illustrated in FIG. 2. The opposed end means 48 of the bent leaf spring 32 is additionally bent in the manner illustrated in FIG. 2 so as to bear against the under side 46 of the upper wall 44 and slide thereagainst in a manner hereinafter described.

The body portion 36 of each slide conductor29 has a depending wall portion 49 surrounding the upper wall portion 34 thereof whereby the depending wall portion 49 confines the movement of the free end 48 of the leaf spring 32 relative to the body portion 36, the depending wall portion 49 having a cutout 50 in the region of the slots 42 and 47 in the upper wall portion 44 thereof to facilitate the assembly of the leaf spring 32 to the body portion 36.

Each leaf spring 32 is so constructed and arranged relative to its respective manipulator means 35 that when the projection 41 of the body portion 36 thereof is fully received in a notch 28 in the upper wall board means 11 in the manner illustrated in FIG. 2, the leaf spring 32 is under compression between the contact portions 33 and 34 thereof so as to positively maintain electrical contact between the upper conductor strip 26 and its cooperating lower conductor strip 19.

However, when it is desired to move a particular slide conductor 29 from a selected position thereof, such as illustrated in FIG. 1 to another selected position thereof so that the same will electrically connect its upper conductor strip 26 to a different lower conductor strip 19, the operator pushes downwardly on the portion 39 of the slide conductor 29 so as to free the projection 41 thereof from its notch 28 in the upper board means 11 whereby the slide conductor 29 can be moved in its respective slot 12 in the upper board means 11 to the desired horizontal line 15. Thus, it can be seen that when the manipulator means 35 is pushed inwardly to free the projection 41 from the notch 28 in the upper board means 11, the upper conductor portion 33 of its respective leaf spring 32 is moved downwardly out of electrical contact with the upper conductive strip 26 so that as the slide conductor 29 is moved back and forth in its respective slot 12, even though the lower conductor portion 34 thereof makes contact with various conductor strips 19, the upper conductor portion 33 does not make contact with the upper conductor strip 26 until the operator permits the projection 41 thereof to be fully received in a selected notch 28 of the upper board means 11 as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 by releasing the manipulator portion 37 thereof and permitting the force of the leaf spring 32 to move the same upwardly toward the upper board means 11.

Thus, when a change in the selective feature of the selector switch construction of this invention is being made, no accidental bridging of conductors takes place so that the operator need not disconnect the electric switch conductor 10 from the electrical circuit utilizing the same during a change in the selective condition thereof as is required by prior-known slide selector switches.

Therefore, it can be seen that the leaf spring 32 of each slide conductor 29 provides a dual function, i.e., provides the means for electrically bridging between a selected lower conductor strip 19 and its respective upper conductive strip 26 and also provides the force for tending to maintain the slide conductor 29 in its selected position by maintaining the projection 41 in a selected notch 28 of the upper board means 11 while firmly engaging the contact portions 33 and 34 against the conductive strips 26 and 19 for good electrical contact therebetween.

Accordingly, not only does this invention provide an improved slide selector switch construction, but also this invention provides an improved slide conductor for such a slide selector switch construction or the like.

While the form of the invention now preferred has been described as required by the statutes, other forms may be utilized all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:

l. A slide selector switch construction comprising a first member having circuit conductor means thereon, a second member carried by said first member and having circuit conductor means thereon disposed in electrically spaced relation from said circuit conductor means of said first member, and a slide conductor movably carried by one of said members and having a first conductor portion for engaging said conductor means of said first member and a second conductor portion for engaging said conductor means of said second member whereby said slide conductor is adapted to electrically bridge said conductor means of said members in a plurality of selected slide positions of said slide conductor relative to said one member, said slide conductor having means continuously disengaging one of said conductor portions thereof from its respective conductor means during the entire movement of said slide conductor relative to said one member to any of the selected slide positions of said slide conductor relative to said one member.

2. A slide selector switch construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein said slide conductor comprises a leaf spring with parts thereof respectively defining said conductor portions of said slide conductor.

3. A slide selector switch construction as set forth in claim 2 wherein said slide conductor includes a manipulator means carrying said leaf spring.

4. A slide selector switch construction as set forth in claim 3 wherein said manipulator means has a push portion which when pushed relative to one of said members in one direction a certain amount causes said leaf spring to bend and move said one conductor portion out of engagement from its respective conductor means as long as said push portion is being held at least said certain amount relative to said one member.

5. A slide selector switch construction as set forth in claim 4 wherein said push portion is adapted to slide said pushed leaf spring substantially transverse to said one direction to selected positions relative to said one member.

6. A slide selector switch construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first and second members are disposed in stacked and spaced relation with said conductor means thereof facing each other.

7. A slide selector switch construction as set forth in claim 6 wherein said conductor means of each said members comprises a plurality of parallel conductive strips on the respective member. I

8. A slide selector switch construction as set forth in claim 7 wherein said conductive strips of one of said members are disposed substantially transverse to the conductive strips of the other member.

9. A slide selector switch construction as set forth in claim 6 wherein said one member has a slot means passing therethrough, said slide conductor comprising a manipulator means projecting through said slot means to be manipulated externally of said one member.

10. A slide selector switch construction as set forth in claim 9 wherein said manipulator means is adapted to be pushed toward said one member to disengage said one conductor portion from its respective conductor means and while in its pushed in condition to be moved along said slot between selected positions thereof.

11. A slide selector switch construction as set forth in claim 10 wherein said one member has cutouts therein respectively at predetermined positions corresponding to selected positions of said slide conductor, said slide conductor having a part thereof receivable in said cutout at a selected position of said manipulator means relative to said one member.

12. A slide selector switch construction as set forth in claim 11 wherein said slide conductor includes a conductive leaf spring carried by said manipulator means, said leaf spring defining said conductor portions and normally tending to urge said part in a direction to be received in any one of said cutouts.

13. A slide selector switch construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein said slide conductor comprises a manipulator means and a leaf spring having opposed ends, one of said ends of said spring being carried by said manipulator means and defining one of said contact portions for engagement with its respective conductor means, the other end of said spring being free of said manipulator means while bearing against the same.

14. A slide selector switch construction comprising a first member having circuit conductor means thereon, a second member carried by said first member and having circuit conductor means thereon disposed in electrically spaced relation from said circuit conductor means of said first member, and a slide conductor movably carried by one of said members and having a first conductor portion for engaging said conductor means of said first member and a second conductor portion for engaging said conductor means of said second member whereby said slide conductor is adapted to electrically bridge said conductor means of said members in selected slide positions of said slide conductor relative to said one member, said slide conductor having means disengaging one of said conductor portions thereof from its respective conductor means during movement of said slide conductor relative to said one member, said slide conductor comprising a manipulator means and a leaf spring having opposed ends, one of said ends of said spring being carried by said manipulator means and defining one of said contact portions for engagement with its respective conductor means, the other end of said spring being free of said manipulator means while bearing against the same. said leaf spring being bent between said ends to define an ar cuate intermediate contact portion for sliding engagement with the other conductor means.

15. A slide selector switch construction as set forth in ,elaim 14 wherein said manipulator means has a position locating projection thereon.

16. A slide selector switch construction as set forth in claim 14 wherein said manipulator means has a recess therein receiving said other end of said spring to guide movement therebetween.

17. A slide member for a slide selector switch construction comprising a manipulator means, and a leaf spring having opposed ends, one of said ends of said spring being carried by said manipulator means and defining a contact portion for engagement with a conductor means, the other end of said spring being free of said manipulator means while bearing against the same, said leaf spring being bent between said ends to define an arcuate intermediate contact portion for sliding engagement with another conductor means.

18. A slide member as set forth in claim 17 wherein said manipulator means has a position locating projection thereon.

19. A slide member as set forth in claim 17 wherein said manipulator means has a recess therein receiving said other end of said spring to guide movement therebetween. 

1. A slide selector switch construction comprising a first member having circuit conductor means thereon, a second member carried by said first member and having circuit conductor means thereon disposed in electrically spaced relation from said circuit conductor means of said first member, and a slide conductor movably carried by one of said members and having a first conductor portion for engaging said conductor means of said first member and a second conductor portion for engaging said conductor means of said second member whereby said slide conductor is adapted to electrically bridge said conductor means of said members in a plurality of selected slide positions of said slide conductor relative to said one member, said slide conductor having means continuously disengaging one of said conductor portions thereof from its respective conductor means during the entire movemeNt of said slide conductor relative to said one member to any of the selected slide positions of said slide conductor relative to said one member.
 2. A slide selector switch construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein said slide conductor comprises a leaf spring with parts thereof respectively defining said conductor portions of said slide conductor.
 3. A slide selector switch construction as set forth in claim 2 wherein said slide conductor includes a manipulator means carrying said leaf spring.
 4. A slide selector switch construction as set forth in claim 3 wherein said manipulator means has a push portion which when pushed relative to one of said members in one direction a certain amount causes said leaf spring to bend and move said one conductor portion out of engagement from its respective conductor means as long as said push portion is being held at least said certain amount relative to said one member.
 5. A slide selector switch construction as set forth in claim 4 wherein said push portion is adapted to slide said pushed leaf spring substantially transverse to said one direction to selected positions relative to said one member.
 6. A slide selector switch construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first and second members are disposed in stacked and spaced relation with said conductor means thereof facing each other.
 7. A slide selector switch construction as set forth in claim 6 wherein said conductor means of each said members comprises a plurality of parallel conductive strips on the respective member.
 8. A slide selector switch construction as set forth in claim 7 wherein said conductive strips of one of said members are disposed substantially transverse to the conductive strips of the other member.
 9. A slide selector switch construction as set forth in claim 6 wherein said one member has a slot means passing therethrough, said slide conductor comprising a manipulator means projecting through said slot means to be manipulated externally of said one member.
 10. A slide selector switch construction as set forth in claim 9 wherein said manipulator means is adapted to be pushed toward said one member to disengage said one conductor portion from its respective conductor means and while in its pushed in condition to be moved along said slot between selected positions thereof.
 11. A slide selector switch construction as set forth in claim 10 wherein said one member has cutouts therein respectively at predetermined positions corresponding to selected positions of said slide conductor, said slide conductor having a part thereof receivable in said cutout at a selected position of said manipulator means relative to said one member.
 12. A slide selector switch construction as set forth in claim 11 wherein said slide conductor includes a conductive leaf spring carried by said manipulator means, said leaf spring defining said conductor portions and normally tending to urge said part in a direction to be received in any one of said cutouts.
 13. A slide selector switch construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein said slide conductor comprises a manipulator means and a leaf spring having opposed ends, one of said ends of said spring being carried by said manipulator means and defining one of said contact portions for engagement with its respective conductor means, the other end of said spring being free of said manipulator means while bearing against the same.
 14. A slide selector switch construction comprising a first member having circuit conductor means thereon, a second member carried by said first member and having circuit conductor means thereon disposed in electrically spaced relation from said circuit conductor means of said first member, and a slide conductor movably carried by one of said members and having a first conductor portion for engaging said conductor means of said first member and a second conductor portion for engaging said conductor means of said second member whereby said slide conductor is adapted to electrically bRidge said conductor means of said members in selected slide positions of said slide conductor relative to said one member, said slide conductor having means disengaging one of said conductor portions thereof from its respective conductor means during movement of said slide conductor relative to said one member, said slide conductor comprising a manipulator means and a leaf spring having opposed ends, one of said ends of said spring being carried by said manipulator means and defining one of said contact portions for engagement with its respective conductor means, the other end of said spring being free of said manipulator means while bearing against the same, said leaf spring being bent between said ends to define an arcuate intermediate contact portion for sliding engagement with the other conductor means.
 15. A slide selector switch construction as set forth in claim 14 wherein said manipulator means has a position locating projection thereon.
 16. A slide selector switch construction as set forth in claim 14 wherein said manipulator means has a recess therein receiving said other end of said spring to guide movement therebetween.
 17. A slide member for a slide selector switch construction comprising a manipulator means, and a leaf spring having opposed ends, one of said ends of said spring being carried by said manipulator means and defining a contact portion for engagement with a conductor means, the other end of said spring being free of said manipulator means while bearing against the same, said leaf spring being bent between said ends to define an arcuate intermediate contact portion for sliding engagement with another conductor means.
 18. A slide member as set forth in claim 17 wherein said manipulator means has a position locating projection thereon.
 19. A slide member as set forth in claim 17 wherein said manipulator means has a recess therein receiving said other end of said spring to guide movement therebetween. 